Digging Up Graves
by Ayira
Summary: A strange girl shows up in Titans Tower and reveals that a chain of arsons that have been happening in Jump City is related to a serial killer. While her demeanor isn't very inviting, she may be an assest to the Titans, but one Titan knows her all to well


**Digging Up Graves** by Ayria

**Prologue: Oath**

The building went up in flames almost instantly. As if it was made of dried leaves instead of wood and brick. In a single instant it went from a quiet apartment building to a blazing inferno, one that no one could survive.

In a single instant, seventeen lives vanished in the flames.

The night was surprisingly quiet. Nothing but the flames stirred. There was no wind, no sound of animals, and no sound of the city echoed off the walls of the buildings lining the dead street. On a night like this you would normally expect to hear the roar of cars and the cries of people out for a late night party. On a night like this you would normally see drunk fathers and husbands and sons returning home from a night of drinking and stumble up the empty street. Some would collapse before they reached their homes; others would make it through the front door and faint.

But tonight there was no one, just the flames, consuming the lives of seventeen human beings.

The flames swirled upwards into the night sky. Licking at the stars that glittered overhead. It outshone them and made them hard to see against the velvet sky. It was a clear night, one where you could see the endless heavens above and stare into them only to loose yourself in your own thoughts and dreams. But no one would do that tonight. 

On top of the building, surrounded by swirling flames, stood a dark figure. Its hands were gripped tightly, fire pouring out of them wishing the flames on and on. To burn.

The figure breathed in the flames and let the sensation flow through its entire body. It loved night, and it lived for fire. Adrenaline rushed through its body as it willed the flames to burn and rise higher and higher. They did. And the figure was filled with glory.

The flames never burned it. It was as if there was an invisible shield around the figure protecting it from the killing touch of the fire. It stood in the middle of the inferno and never once feared for its life. It never once considered any one else's life. There was just it and the flames. The glorious flames. The figure burned because it could, because it was an addiction. To burn and burn and never stop until it could burn no more.

The figure threw back its head and laughed with excitement. Its hair flew behind its head and seemed to become flame itself. It was born for this.

Across the street a child stood watching the flames, the only living creature besides the figure standing on top of the building. The twelve-year-old child watched the fire wide-eyed and in disbelief. This couldn't be happening. They couldn't all be dead.

The fire reflected in the child's glazed eyes. It stared unblinking at the hellish thing the building had become. Tears formed in the child's eyes as it looked up at the building.

The dark form walked to the edge and stared straight down at the child. Their eyes locked. They stood there, unmoving for what seemed like forever. Then the figure disappeared suddenly into the flames.

It was as if something was suddenly lifted off of the street. The regular sounds of the city flowed back into the child's ears and filled the street. Up and down the dark street lights were turned on and people rushed out of their apartments to see what was going on, only to stare up in wonder at the flames. Far off in the distance the sound of multiple sirens echoed up into the night sky.

The child fell to its knees. Tears flowed from its eyes as images of the dead people inside the building flashed in its mind. It dug its fingers into the ground as it stared at the spot where the dark figure vanished.

"I swear," the child said, "that you'll pay dearly for what you did tonight. I swear on their graves that before I die I will kill you."

The child staggered onto its feet and sobbed uncontrollably. Then it raised its head and screamed up into the night sky above.

"I'll kill you!"

5 Years Later

Amy leaned against a wall in the dark alley and placed a cigarette in her mouth. She took out her trusty lighter and lit the end of the "death stick". As soon as it was burning she breathed in the sweet smoke and let it flow through her lungs. Then she slowly blew it back out. 

She laughed as she remembered that these little things were going to be the death of her. She had been smoking two packs a day since she was thirteen and the now seventeen-year-old knew that it was a habit she'd never break. Amy didn't want to break it. Smoking was too much of a joy for her.

The girl was about medium height and was, surprisingly, very pretty. She had a good figure and was dressed in clean clothes. Surprising for a junkie. Amy had black hair with purple streaks in the front. She wore it up today with the purple streaks falling loose against her face. Her skin was a little pale but it never bothered her.

She wore black jeans and a red shirt. Amy was also wearing a sort of thin black jacket that she had on no matter what the weather was like. She also wore four silver necklaces. Three were different pendants that each meant a different thing and had a different purpose. The fourth one held a pair of dog tags. Her name was imprinted on them. Along with another name, one she wanted to leave behind her but never forget.

Amy's eyes were the most distinctive feature about her. They were cold, blood red eyes. Reflected in them were years of hardship and a hatred for much of the world. There was a fire burning in her eyes, a sort of passion. Her eyes showed that Amy was not a person you wanted to cross. Ever.

She slowly smoked the cigarette in the fading afternoon light. Amy normally slept during the day and prowled at night. She loved the night; it was the only time she felt that no one could see her. The cigarette went out and she dropped it to the alley floor and stepped on it as she exited the alley.

Garbage swirled around her feet and she walked down the dimly lit street. She was in the slums; it was the only place she could find a cheap apartment to rent though she hardly spent any time there. There was hardly anyone around as she walked to the rocks at the end of the street and looked out over the black water and stared at the silhouette of a building beyond.

On its own island sitting out in the middle of the water stood something unlike anything she had ever seen before. It rose up and stood like a guardian watching over the city.

Titans Tower.

It was not only Jump City's most famous landmark but it was also the easiest thing to find. Titans Tower, home of the Teen Titans, the place where the new generation of "superheroes" resided and guarded Jump City against its abnormal amount of psychopaths.

Amy chuckled to herself as she thought of the Titans. "Protecting the city against evil"? It just wasn't her taste. It seemed more like something that belonged in a TV show then in real life. But people with abnormal abilities weren't something that was uncommonly heard of in recent times. There was the Justice League as well after all… 

She sighed and shook her head. The ironic thing was that she needed the Titan's help, or at least their computer database. Rumor had it that it was one of the largest in the world. If there was anything you needed to know the Titans could provide you with an answer. Well, right now she needed some answers. And she was running out of time to get them.

Problem was, she knew one of the Titans all too well. While it may have normally been an asset, this time it actually hurt her. Amy knew that she would never be allowed near Titans Tower. If the person in question even knew she was in the city Amy would immediately be in the hands of the authorities.  
Yep, they had quite the history all right.

All of a sudden Amy heard the sound of sirens. She turned her head and saw the flashing blue and red lights heading towards the business section of the city. Wherever the sirens went, the Titans went. And Amy was curious to see the Titans in action. She turned and followed the sounds of the sirens. Closer and closer to an old friend she had hoped too never meet again.

The building was dark inside. The glass windows revealed that nothing was happening within. Nothing moved; no lights shined through. It seemed as if it had been deserted.

Then, a dark figure jumped through the glass. Raven used her powers to carry her safely through the window while not disturbing the glass at all. Once she was through she levitated down to the ground where the other Titans and multiple police units waited for her. She lowered her hood and looked at Robin with a solemn face.

"Trigger has herded all the hostages into the middle of the building keeping him out of the line of any police fire." She reported. "He's also got more explosives in there then a fireworks expo."

Robin sighed and rubbed his temples in frustration. A nutcase calling himself "Trigger" had infiltrated the building about three hours ago and taken fifteen hostages. He demanded one million in cash or he'd blow the place sky high. Trigger claimed that he'd rigged the entrances so if anyone tried to enter bombs would go off blowing up whoever had tried to enter which is why they had to send in Raven. He nodded to her.

"Good work Raven." He said. Then he turned to Cyborg. "Finished with that scan yet?" he asked.

"Trigger's telling the truth. All the doors are rigged and it looks as if he's got explosives wired on each floor." Cyborg replied. "This guy is seriously packing. If anyone has any bright ideas on how we're going to do this I'd like to remind you we have only fifty-seven minutes left before he sets everything off."

"Dudes, I don't know about you but I'm stumped." Beast Boy said. 

Robin couldn't agree with him more. He had been trying to assess the situation for a while now and he still couldn't come up with anything. Robin was tired, and didn't need this right now. The Boy Wonder sat down and began to think.

'It's going to be a very long night' he thought to himself as he looked up at the setting sun.

Neither Robin, the Titans, or Amy knew just exactly how long.


End file.
